- Why in news
- On 13 February 2026 the Ministry of Defence said the draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026, meant to replace DAP 2020, is out for stakeholder comments.
- What it is
- The Defence Acquisition Procedure is the Ministry of Defence rulebook for capital purchases for the armed forces. It sets procurement categories, approval steps, trials and indigenous content rules. DAP 2020 is the version now in force; it favoured Indian sources and was part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat push.
- Categories
- Procurement categories fall from 5 to 4.
- Indigenous content
- Indigenous content in the Buy Indigenous Design, Development & Manufacturer category rises from 50% to 60%, with incentives.
- TRL-based single vendor
- Technology Readiness Level based categorisation is introduced. An ab-initio single vendor is allowed in Buy (Indian-indigenous design, development and manufacture) for TRL 6 to 9 equipment.
- New procedures
- Long Term Bulk Acquisition and Low-Cost Capital Acquisition are introduced.
- Preferred category
- The DAP gives institutional preference to the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category: indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
- DAP vs DPM
- DAP covers capital procurement under the Capital head. The Defence Procurement Manual 2025 covers maintenance and sustenance under the Revenue head.
- Import restriction
- Imports are to be restricted to equipment that is not available domestically and is critical.
Don’t confuse with DAP vs DPP: DPP was the earlier Defence Procurement Procedure; it was renamed DAP in 2020.
Don’t confuse with Make vs iDEX: Make is a procurement route for industry-developed prototypes; iDEX is the Innovations for Defence Excellence scheme for start-ups and MSMEs.
Don’t confuse with DAP vs DPM: DAP governs capital acquisition (Capital head); DPM 2025 governs maintenance and sustenance (Revenue head).
Don’t confuse with IDDM vs Indian-IC: IDDM needs indigenous design, development and manufacture; other Buy (Indian) categories are judged mainly on indigenous content percentage.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Higher indigenous content and assured orders can cut import dependence and deepen the domestic defence industry.
- Faster, time-monitored acquisition helps meet urgent needs of the armed forces.
- Faster, simpler procurement can shorten the gap between need and induction for the armed forces.
- Preference for indigenous design and retained IPR cuts import dependence and supports Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
- Easier criteria widen room for private firms, MSMEs and start-ups, building the defence industrial ecosystem and exports.
Problems
- Single-vendor routes may reduce competition and raise transparency concerns.
- Meeting 60% indigenous content depends on domestic supply chains for critical components.
- Long trial and approval cycles, and delays in delivery, have slowed past acquisitions.
- Dependence on imported critical components and technology limits real indigenisation despite content rules.
- Private and small firms face high capital needs, long gestation and uncertain order flow.
Way forward
- Use stakeholder comments to finalise the draft, with safeguards for transparency in single-vendor cases.
- Build supply chains and testing capacity so shorter timelines are achievable.
- Implement the delegation, digitisation and trial reforms with fixed timelines and monitor them.
- Invest in defence R&D and testing infrastructure, and protect indigenous IPR with incentives for innovation.
- Use stakeholder comments to finalise a clear, stable policy that gives industry predictable demand.
Put in your answer
Draft aims: The draft stresses jointness, Atmanirbharta, force modernisation and speed of acquisition with scaling of production.
Faster acquisition tools: Proposals include spiral designing and procurement of major platforms and exclusive procedures for equipment with short technological cycles.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026 reduces the number of procurement categories from 5 to 4.
- 2.The draft raises the indigenous content requirement in the Buy Indigenous Design, Development & Manufacturer category from 40% to 60%.
- 3.The draft allows an ab-initio single vendor in the Buy (Indian-indigenous design, development and manufacture) category for equipment at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 to 9.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 9
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The draft allows an ab-initio single vendor in the Buy (Indian-indigenous design, development and manufacture) category for TRL 6 to 9 equipment.
True. Single vendor is allowed for TRL 6 to 9.
2.The draft provides compensation to all vendors who are successful in trial evaluations.
True. Compensation goes to all vendors successful in trials.
3.The draft introduces Low-Cost Capital Acquisition for fast-moving, low-cost technology items.
True. Low-Cost Capital Acquisition is a new procedure for such items.
4.The Defence Acquisition Procedure is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
False. It is issued by the Ministry of Defence.
5.The DAP gives institutional preference to the 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)' category of procurement.
True. Buy (Indian-IDDM) is the preferred category.
6.The Defence Acquisition Procedure governs maintenance and sustenance of equipment under the Revenue head of expenditure.
False. DAP covers capital procurement under the Capital head; the Defence Procurement Manual covers maintenance under the Revenue head.
7.Under the draft, the Ministry proposes to ban all defence imports.
False. Imports are restricted only to domestically non-available and critical equipment, not banned outright.
8.The Defence Acquisition Council, which approves capital acquisition proposals, is chaired by the Defence Minister.
True. The Defence Minister chairs the DAC.
9.In the 'IDDM' category, the equipment is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
True. IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The Ministry of Defence has released the draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026 to replace DAP 2020, proposing fewer procurement categories, higher indigenous content of 60% in the Buy Indigenous Design, Development & Manufacturer category, Technology Readiness Level based categorisation and new procedures such as Low-Cost Capital Acquisition. Examine the major provisions of the draft and discuss how they can advance self-reliance in defence, along with the challenges in implementing them.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.